We have been fortunate enought to have enjoyed and been challenged by the faith, education, wildlife, work, culture and people we have encountered in the various places around the world that we have lived in. These experiences have moulded our thinking and lifestyle.

Saturday

As we are now well into this New Year we wanted to update you on the family, hopefully encourage you as to the current state of play and also highlight some issues that we would love to get your prayers over.

Linsey was recently in Colorado helping her parents and her sisters. Her Mum fell over and broke her knee a couple of weeks ago and her Dad has very significant issues with his legs due to neuropathy. Both issue are extremely painful, debilitating and frustrating for them both. Please pray for Bill, Rosemary and the family

Ben is coming to the end of his initial stint of studies at the Musicians Institute and will then be undertaking a year of job training which will, hopefully, entail recording an EP and an album with CiRCLESIGHT. Follow the link and like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/circlesight?fref=tsp. He and the band have recently moved from their band house, but were able to find a place in the same town and from which they can hear the waves. He gets no sympathy from us. Fortunately, it’s also close to the last bus stop on his route to college and as the bus drivers know him they will wait as he comes down the road or wake him if he’s sleeping on the way home.

Josh has applied to colleges in the US and the UK. Pray that one would offer him a place. He has recently obtained his motor bike permit and is currently holding down at least three jobs - writer, climbing instructor and ballroom dance Instructor (trainee). He’s enjoying and excelling in them all and has become very fit. One of his aims in all this is to afford a motorbike. You can see a video featuring his climbing gym at:-

Charys is eclectically creating songs & scripts as well as fashionable outfits out of old clothes . She is doing really well in school and is currently in the early stages of rehearsals for her school end of year production. However, as her parents we are getting a bit freaked out as Charys is now receiving invitations from colleges across the States who are trying to entice her to enroll with them. Plus, she is now at the age, in America at least, where she can legally learn to drive and obtain a learner permit. If Kevin had hair it would turn grey, Oh wait! it already has…

Kevin has been encouraged by Oasis USA having a stronger 2012. The work grew, as did the support for victims of trafficking and the organizational capacity of Oasis. Overall this was an encouraging growth from 2011 and part of the step by step journey for Oasis in advancing the TraffickFree movement. Recently, in LA County, we were able to crowd-source through our TFC’s, and had the privileged of supporting law enforcement agencies and key support services, as they ran a sting operation which contacted minors and adults being forced to work on the streets of LA. We would also appreciate prayer for the community of downtown LA. Recently, over 4000 people living on the streets of LA have been highlighted as victims of a persistent strain of TB.

Strengthening Oasis USA has also meant that we can continue to support the global fight against human trafficking and helping the vulnerable, which Linsey leads by placing key people within the global Oasis network. It also allows us to access grants and funds for the global work. Our partnership with Oasis India is one example where we are able to support the team as they rescue girls who are enslaved in the city brothels. See the Oasis USA Give Freedom campaign, http://oasisusa.org/give-freedomfor more information. Oasis USA is currently directly linked with people in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kyrgyzstan.

Please pray for continued growth and favor, plus additional resources that would enable us to increase our capacity to help those who are ostracized and enslaved locally and around the world. You can still join Oasis USA in our 40 days of prayer and fasting for lent, see http://oasisusa.org/40-days-for-freedom

Pray also for the vulnerable to have a supportive encouraging community around them that would help them back into a stable life. Being a friend, someone who speaks love, life and encouragement is a key ingredient in people become reintegrated back into community.

The green card application rolls on and we have not heard anything positive since the last submission. However, Oasis and the lawyer will reapply with a new application later this month.

This summer is going to be a very full season for us, irrespective of what happens with the application.

One, we have to move from our current subsidized accommodation. Our stay was time bound and had been extended for a couple of years, but will be finally completed this summer. Therefore, if we stay in the USA we will need to find inexpensive accommodation - a dichotomy within LA. However, God has always been active and creative in our moves and our past hunts for accommodation and we hope for that again.

Two, if we do need to leave the USA in the summer, then it will be a major transcontinental move rather than just within the city and we will need to find accommodation within the UK.

Three, this summer Kevin will need to visit the UK. It’s been three years since he has visited his parents. This is due to a host of reasons, primarily the green card application and the complexity of the Oasis transition.

Four, Joshua will, hopefully, be transitioning onto university and lastly, we will be celebrating a major anniversary this summer. It’s going to be a busy season.

Pray for the following would be appreciated:

Both Linsey’s and Kevin’s parents. They are battling significant health issues.

Ben, Josh & Charys as they journey through the challenges of studies, jobs, schools and being third culture kids.

Peace and fruit for them as they chase their dreams

Kevin and Linsey as they assist Oasis in the fight against human trafficking in the US and assist the victims in their quest to find freedom, support, love and peace.

Local people in the various communities we are partnering with, who are fighting human trafficking in their own local area in their own local way. Especially the group in Los Angeles at the moment

Wisdom as we help the church and communities of faith engage with the needs around them.

Success for the green card applications.

Our whole family as we face the challenges and milestones of the summer. Pray that we would journey through it well and with hope and joy.